Judging By Your Smile
by icykisses
Summary: aamrn- that's about the entire summary right there.
1. Default Chapter

:: It's dark. The blazing fire burned beautifully as the flames reached so high as if wishing to catch a single star in remembrance of being alive that one night of life that burned within its fiery pits. The sky was amazingly clear; as black as an evil soul of the Underworlds, dotted with magnificent patterns of bright stars that seemed to encircle the moon in a mysterious dance of jubilee and freedom. Some whipped against the blackness of the universe in curled reformation that stung at the tips with a shooting brother, whose tail would glisten amazingly as it was being dragged along the godly sky helplessly. There was a slight, low voice that repeated over and over announced the incoming night, and then its wings would carry it elsewhere, maybe to a place of wonder and excitement, where only the bravest of all pokemon could and would venture. Six friends connected by mind, spirit, and soul sat around the dancing fire laughing as they played a little game of truths and dares. It was Misty's turn to go. Dare, it was. And Brock was the Darer.  
  
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!!"  
  
Brock laughed whole-heartily.  
  
"Aw, c'mon Misty. You know we're all friends here." Tracy urged.  
  
"Yeah, Misty. Just do it." Duplica smiled.   
  
"Ditto!" Her Pokemon agreed, followed by a "Pika!" and a trilling "Toge!"  
  
Misty hesitated for a second, looking at all of her so called 'friends'.  
  
"Pika pika." Pikachu said simply jumping on Ash's head.  
  
"Hey!" Ash protested, trying to shake off Pikachu, who was getting kinda heavy in the past few weeks.  
  
Pikachu pulled Ash's hat off his head and wore it as he climbed onto Misty's shoulder and kissed her cheek.  
  
"Pika-pi Pikachu Chu-pi" Pikachu said strictly, waving a finger at Ash in a teacher-like motion.  
  
Every laughed crazily.  
  
"No, no Pikachu. The lips!" Brock said, still chuckling.   
  
Pikachu sweatdropped and threw off Ash's hat, running towards a tent in retreat. Everyone laughed again. Ash sat in confusion.  
  
"Pikachu pika pik-chu Pikapi!"   
  
"Uh-- what'd he say?" Todd asked.  
  
"I think he said, 'It's all up to you, Ash!'" Duplica answered, laughing.  
  
"Ah. Let's just get this over with. I can't wait to dare Todd." Tracy said evilly, glaring at the photo master.  
  
"I can't believe you people! You guys are twisted!" Misty said disapprovingly. "I'd rather kiss Todd than this wannabe pokemon trainer!"   
  
Todd, whose smile had now immediately faded into a frightened, more freaked out expression, moves farther and farther away from the fire, away from Misty. Ash didn't like being called some 'wannabe' of anything for anything by anyone, but could easily avoid the anger as he focused on nothing but Misty's rage and embarrassment and how trying so hard to shield it with a bunch of pink blush wasn't working. She looked like she was choking, seeing as how much redder she was turning every second. Maybe sharing a first kiss with her wouldn't be all that bad.   
  
'I mean... we are friends, right? And it is just a dare. Nothing else. There shouldn't be a problem.' Ash thought to himself as he stared directly to Misty, trying so hard to fight her friends in defending her personal feelings.  
  
Suddenly, she turned to face him.  
  
"Well Ash?!" She was undoubtedly upset.  
  
"Wha--" He blinked to break the steady trance.  
  
"What about you?! Don't you have anything to say about this?! You are part of this too, you know!"  
  
"I..."   
  
Ash looked at Tracy, Brock, Duplica, and Todd, who were all waiting eagerly for an answer from him, obviously not getting enough out of Misty's own mouth, but had to get something out of his as well.  
  
'Keep it short. And simple. Be honest.' He thought to himself before answering.  
  
Ash placed both hands behind his head and leaned back with a relaxed expression on his face.   
  
"I don't care."   
  
Everyone around the campfire face faulted.  
  
"YOU DON'T CARE?!!" Misty sweatdropped, blushing furiously.  
  
"You see Misty? So what's your big problem?" Duplica asked, leaning over a large, old fence that creaked as her elbows rested against it.  
  
"You-- You people are so psychotically insane and drunk that it's not even funny!" Misty shouted.  
  
"Hey! This is not beer, it's grape soda!" Tracy said defensively, gripping the small glass bottle.   
  
Everyone stared blankly at Tracy.  
  
"Tracy. You're only thirteen." Brock said.  
  
"I know. It's grape!" Tracy said blushing and holding up the glass bottle.  
  
Duplica stared at the liquid inside.  
  
"What is it? Sparkling white grape?" She asked.  
  
"Soda. Sparkling white grape SODA." Tracy nodded.  
  
"Whatever. Look," Brock said pointing to Ash and Misty, "Just do this one dare. I'm sure it'll be one big joke tomorrow!"  
  
"Yeah! Everyone'll be laughing it all up tomorrow morning, including you." Duplica said optimistically.  
  
"Yeeessssss...... everyone.... Everyone in Celadon...." Tracy said evilly, rolling the bottle between his palms in deep thought as the liquid sloshed around the inside.  
  
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? For us to do this thinking it's all one big joke, but then it'll somehow get back to us in the future--"  
  
"But maybe in a good way." Brock interrupted Misty.  
  
"Ash. I just know you don't want to do this." Misty said harshly, leering at the boy next to her.  
  
Ash licked his lips then wiped them off of his sleeve only seconds before closing in on Misty like a tiger to injured prey. Misty began to lean back with the most confused and questionable expression, away from his face as it got closer to her each second. The entire crowd around them became silent, not breathing the least bit, not blinking once as they watched.  
  
It happened so suddenly. Their lips met for mere seconds then parted. Ash was reluctant. Misty was completely frozen in horror or shear surprise. Ash sighed wearily as he announced, "All right guys, I'm going to bed. See ya tomorrow..." picked up his hat and walked off. Misty was still completely silent. Some people "Oooooh"'ed and a few people cheered, jumping immediately from their seats like crazed football fans 'whoo'ing "Way to go, Ash!"  
  
Duplica looked around at everyone grinning. "I knew it all along."  
  
"I'll bet I know more than you do." Brock said.  
  
"No I do, I was there when she admitted it." Tracy said proudly.  
  
"As if!" Duplica scoffed.  
  
"Ditto!" Her ditto agreed.  
  
"Remember in the Orange Islands? I was there." Tracy said with a thumb in his chest.  
  
"What are the Orange Islands?" Todd asked.  
  
"Well, I was there when they fell in love!" Brock stood up.  
  
"You weren't there when they met." Duplica teased.  
  
"It doesn't matter when they met! I was still there when they starting liking each other. In fact, if it wasn't for me, they'd be tearing each other into shreds by now!" Brock spat.  
  
"Are you saying that they're in love because of you?!" Duplica asked Brock.  
  
Suddenly everyone broke out into an argument. Todd jumped onto a giant rock waving around a handful of photos screaming "I've got proof!!!" That was the moment were everyone jumped on top of him grabbing at the proof pictures.   
  
"This is stupid..." Duplica said, standing up and wiping the dirt off of her shirt. "Well, that's what I get for hanging around with a bunch of… boys..." she walked over to the togepi in the freaked-out Misty's arms. (Yes, it was still in her arms, not in her lap *unfortunately* ^.~) "Isn't that right, Togepi?"  
  
"Togeee!"  
  
"Hey Misty." She said softly, sitting down next to Misty, whose eyes were yet unblinkable, and whose face was still completely red.   
  
"Hey, you okay?" She asked, worriedly.  
  
"No-no, I'm fine..." Misty muttered, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her wrist.   
  
Misty chuckled falsely and shook her head. "I just can't believe… Ash… did that... and… what he said..."  
  
"Ash is growing up, Misty." Duplica stated, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He didn't care 'bout some dare. I mean, it's just a game, and nobody got hurt. I think the freaking out was kinda one-sided, don't ya think?" She asked.  
  
Misty nodded. "I can't..." she said her voice lowering. "I just don't know... what it is..."  
  
"Toge?" Her togepi looked at her in question.  
  
"Love is a mystery, right? 'Love isn't always easy'?" Duplica teased.  
  
::::in case you didn't know, that's Brock's famous line from "The Heartbreak of Brock" episode from a famous 92.9% Pokeshippy moment::::  
  
Misty gasped. "Ack, how'd you know?!  
  
Duplica grinned. "Brock told me about it! He said it 'proved his theory'!"  
  
Misty looked at the dusty, bare ground beneath her shoes as she shuffled her feet around in the dirt. Her eyes strayed to the dog-piled males across the fire and centered on Tracy jumping up shouting "I got 'em! Hey wha--... That's not them! It's... Oh god, Todd, you sicko!" And throwing the pictures at the boy in the sand.  
  
"Huh?" He asked.  
  
"Ooooh, lemme see!" Brock shouted, diving for the pictures.  
  
"Wait a sec!" Todd suddenly grabbed the photos and shoved them into his pockets. "Heh heh... I could've sworn I threw those away."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sure!" Tracy said sarcastically.  
  
"Misty," Duplica began, "Get some sleep."  
  
:::enter dream phase:::  
  
:::: This is no attempt for a lemon. NO ATTEMPT. I don't write that stuff. I never will. So, don't get any ideas 'bout it. _ Actually, it might be a good beginning for one, but… eh… NO! ^.^ ::::  
  
Misty walked into a dark bedroom, dragging behind her was a veil and draped skirt embroidered in silver and tiny emeralds. The soft-toned walls softly glowed in luminescence that gently lightened up the darkened room. She closed her eyes and raised her arms to the glass ceiling, where the tiny pings of raindrops tapped in an ironic symphony of delicacy. She sighed meekly as the lenient veil slid off her shoulders to leave her in the silver evening gown and she slowly looked towards the vast, spherical bed to her right where there lay a young man in boxers and black shirt above the glistening silver sheets that flowed across the room to her toes. She recognized him immediately and smiled angelically as she walked slowly to him, hearing the rain bear down harder and harder on the ceiling and watching a veil of water flow along the sides of the ceilings. As she approached the bed, she sensed him smiling warmly to her. He softly wrapped an arm around her side as she lay down beside him and whispered tiny fragments of lovely nature into her ear brushing her cheek with his lips. She grinned, bringing his fingers up to her mouth and daintily kissing the tips in a polite manner. He faintly rubbed her belly before sighing and lying back down against the soft pillow beneath them. She listened to the shallow breathing of his as she closed her eyes.  
  
:::end dream phase:::  
  
Misty woke with a start, pulling the rough material of her sleeping bag to her chest and for once appreciating the warmth of the tent in which she and Duplica were sleeping in. She looked over to her friend, facing her back, and figuring she was asleep. Misty sighed.   
  
"I really need to talk to him."  
  
:::re-enter dream phase:::  
  
Ash sleepily opened his eyes and yawned. He stared lazily towards a window in which he faced, watching the partially invisible pillar of dust swirl inside a ray of sunlight that strung through the half open window. The walls were a pale yellow and the floor was clean, except for a couple of clothing strewn across the room… there was a sports bra on the TV antenna… Outside, a distant jackhammer played, along with a couple of car honks and the slight rumble of a large semi every now and then. Next to him was a girl wrapped in his arm whose red hair flowed across his skin and hers. He couldn't see her face, yet knew who she was, for her face was settled into a pillow. Her bare back was a milky white, shown easily against her hair. At their feet was a yellow sheet that was twisted around their exposed legs. He tried to shake her shoulders in order to bring her to life, but she only flipped over towards him in order to snuggle against his bare chest. She slightly moaned peacefully and he smiled, pulling her closer and whispering "alright, maybe just a few more minutes." Then, his eyes fell shut.  
  
:::end dream phase:::  
  
Ash's eyes opened to a dark world around him. He looked around the rather large tent to all his buddies: Brock, Tracey, Todd, and Pikachu-all asleep. He sighed and lay back down, cradling his head in his arms, missing the feel of that girl in his dreams… That girl…  
  
"I need to talk to Misty…" he mumbled.  
  
After ten minutes of tossing and turning, Ash just knew he'd never get to sleep…  
  
"I wonder if Misty is awake." He whispered thoughtfully.  
  
:::back with the girls:::  
  
"Guess you had another dream about Ash, right?" Misty heard Duplica say as she turned to her side to face her.  
  
"What? No…" Misty blushed.  
  
"Oh really." Duplica said in a sarcastic tone of voice, "Why are you blushing, then? Oh, come on. Don't act so darn innocent."   
  
"It wasn't a dream about ASH!" Misty said offensively.  
  
Duplica burst out in giggles.  
  
"So what happened then if you 'claim' that it wasn't a dream about him."  
  
"I don't want to talk about my dreams about Ash to you, okay." Misty said, rolling over and pulling her sleeping wear with her.  
  
"So it WAS about Ash!" Duplica gasped.  
  
"…duh." Misty 'tsk'ed.  
  
"Oh, please, please, please, please tell me! I promise I won't tell!" Duplica begged.  
  
"Shh… You'll wake up Togepi." Misty said.  
  
"Pleeeease?! I swear I'll keep it secret!" Duplica whispered.  
  
"Why am I having a hard time believing you…?" Misty sweatdropped.  
  
"Oh, come on." She whined.  
  
"Go to sleep." Misty said quietly, lying down.  
  
"Oh… all right…" Duplica groaned.  
  
:::The Next Morning:::  
  
Misty held her breath, feeling the crisp morning air bite at her nose as she slowly walked out of the tent, zipping it up hurriedly. She looked around in hopes to find no one else up yet. Satisfied, she began her journey to the lake.  
  
Ash yawned peacefully, feeling lingering aches of last night in his eyes. He never did get back to sleep… He tossed the covers to the side and stretched his body as far as he could and relaxed, then stretched again.  
  
"Morning guys." He said softly.  
  
There came no reply and Ash looked around the dead tent for someone with eyes wide open, but everyone was asleep.  
  
"Huh. Well, that's a first." He said slowly.  
  
He walked out of the tent, pushing the sleeping bag material back inside, which seemed to have been stuck to his foot, and quickly zipped it back up, frowning. He looked over to the girls' tent. It was still zipped up and no sign of movement had been made. He looked around the small campus, but no one was to be seen, and shrugged. They all must still be asleep.  
  
'I guess I'm the first one up this morning.' Ash thought, feeling stranger than usual. 'Oh well… maybe…'  
  
That's when Ash got an idea. The sun is already out and the air around him was getting warmer by the second. No one's awake, which meant total privacy…   
  
Misty let her hair fall from its restraint and ran her fingers through it, feeling the pain slowly dissolve. The sun beat down on the earth and the atmosphere was warming quickly, which was perfect for swimming. Eager to dive into the water, she quickly stripped down to all but her underwear and dove in. There was something just… perfect about the water today and she sighed pacifically. Something suddenly entered her mind, like a horror film, and she looked around the entire lake, but saw no one.   
  
'No… can't be…' She thought, shaking off the feeling. 'No one could get that fateful…'  
  
Taking in a last breath, she lifted her chin to the sky and sunk beneath the water's surface  
  
Ash looked around the lake's perimeter for another body, another soul, which could have been a spy. Content with the outcome of his search, he stripped himself of his shirt, jeans, and underwear, lastly throwing his cap into the pile of clothes by his feet, and slowly waded into the water. The surface felt a little warm, but the deeper he went in, the cooler it got. He dipped his head into the water, energetically scrubbing his scalp free of any dirt or other microorganisms he didn't know about.  
  
Misty opened her eyes to the aquatic ambience around her, nearby swam a magikarp and a tiny squirtle. In the far distance she could see the outline of a seel. With the rays of sunshine dancing upon the face of the rippling water, it looked like a dream. But when she turned around to face the other direction that was when the dream had ended.  
  
She would've gasped, but instead, water filled her mouth and nose, nearly choking her. Strangling for air, she quickly returned to the surface. Once she could breathe, she stared down at the side of the lake to conclude her hypothesis. With a muffled gasp, she swam behind a large, looming rock, and she hid beneath the shadows without moving. Why? Why didn't she just run out of the water and return to camp? He wouldn't notice, right? No, she had to finish her bath, because… she was there first! Yeah, that's right! She was there before him so why should she get out just because he comes in all naked… bathing… Misty tried to avert her eyes to another direction, but they just seemed to keep drifting back to Ash. She absently pulled her bra strap back up to her shoulder, as it kept sliding off. She privately scoffed in her mind.  
  
"It's not like I can see anything, anyway." She thought, eyeing his figure from the waist up.  
  
That was when an idea seemed to weave itself in her mind. It took bravery, but since when was she ever a coward? (Besides being around bugs, but what's a little insect phobia anyways? *As long as she didn't have an 'Ash-phobia', she was fine*.) Misty took a deep breath and began wading back out into the water, not once looking at Ash, but straight ahead, like a soldier in battle- no distractions when it comes it duty!  
  
:Back at the campgrounds:  
  
Brock was just waking up… -_-  
  
::Now! Back to the Lake!:: (Don't wanna keep you waitin' that long! ^.~)  
  
Ash raked through his drenched hair with his fingers. He looked ahead of him. The sun gleamed forcefully, almost evilly into his eyes and he naturally squinted. A strong breeze blew and, just as a cloud had been threatening to protrude the sun's magnificence, the cloud completely shielded its glory, and Ash opened his eyes. There, he saw an angel. She was beautiful, skin glistening without the sunlight… he expected her to begin walking on the water. Wait a minute… that looked like Misty!  
  
'Uh-oh… I wonder if she saw me…' Ash thought, panicked.  
  
With strong hesitations, he ran as fast as he could to the nearest spot of land and grabbed his jeans, slipping them on as quickly as possible. Out of curiosity, he looked back behind him in search of Misty, the sun shone forcefully through a hole in the cloud and Ash shielded his eyes, but when he looked back, she was still gone.  
  
"Huh… maybe it was just an illusion… My fears getting the best of me…" He said quietly.  
  
Just then, he spotted his underwear roaming the wide water range. He blushed and quickly stepped into the water to scoop them out. Thinking about her, he skimmed the water surface once more, but saw no one. Just as he was about to walk out of the water, a strange hand tightened around his ankle and pulled him under into a much, much more deeper part of the lake. He gasped, and was pulled under by the force.  
  
Wondering what the heck was going on, he looked around chaotically until he came across a mass of red hair floating beside him and Ash looked downward to see Misty's smiling face. He blinked, his mouth awed. He wanted to smile back, but also needed to know what was wrong with her. Suddenly, without warning, she shoved his shoulder and began to swim away, leaving nothing but millions of tiny air bubbles. Ash, still befuddled about the whole situation, forgot the pain in his lungs until now, and rose to the surface quickly, gasping for air. Shaking the water from his hair, he looked ahead of him to see Misty sitting on the rock she was recently hiding on earlier staring at him with both legs to her chest, one raised eyebrow and grinning devilishly. She raised her hand like a sales woman in a furniture commercial and shrugged her shoulder, possibly asking him what he was going to do now. Possibly daring him…  
  
"What are you doing?!" He called out.  
  
Misty sweatdropped. How in the world could he be so dense??? She wondered what to say.  
  
"Well, what are you doing out here spying on me bathing?!" She called back.  
  
"I wasn't spying, I didn't even know you were here!" He shouted.  
  
Misty scowled and dove into the water. Ash watched as her figure swam closer to him. It stopped mid-way and she rose with a blank expression on her face.  
  
'Well?' Ash thought, expecting her to say something nasty so that they could get the fight over with and he could get dressed, return to camp, and forget this whole thing ever happened.  
  
All of the sudden, she smiled and splashed Ash with a tidal wave of water.  
  
"Wha?! What are you doing?!" He asked, trying to shield himself, but couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Have you ever heard of a water fight, Ash?" She asked, still splashing him.  
  
"Heard of it? I INVENTED IT!" He shouted, tackling her.  
  
She screamed, grabbing at his arm with one arm and shoving his head under water with the other. He managed to get his arm free of her grip and shoved her head under the water, seizing her waist with his other arm. Misty struggled free of his grasp and managed to tie her legs around Ash's neck, keeping his face underwater. She reached for his thrashing arms and held them behind his back.  
  
"Say Uncle!" She shouted.  
  
"Never!" She choked out, his head now out of the water.  
  
Misty, realizing her mistake, held her breath as Ash flipped onto his back, dumping her into the water. He just lay floating on the water as she surfaced, gasping and laughing at the same time.  
  
"You're… crazy…" She laughed, trying her hardest to stand on her toes as the bottom seemed to fall deeper and deeper.  
  
"I'm crazy?" Ash asked, standing on his toes.  
  
She scoffed, still smiling. "Come on."   
  
Misty held Ash's hand and led him to a shallower spot in the water where they could stand evenly. Once at the location, a strong gush of water pushed Misty forward into Ash. He nearly fell backwards into the water, but instead grabbed Misty's shoulders for support.   
  
"S-sorry…" she mumbled softly into his ear.  
  
She tried to pull away, but it came out as a reluctant, slow movement. Even when they were fighting, as they usually did, their faces were never this close… So close, she could just feel his breathing on her chin. The cloud in the sky cleared and the sun again shone forcefully, immediately heating up their skin with its strong rays. Ash had a no-brainer response, and shielded both of their faces with his right hand without blinking. Was he leaning closer or was she? Whatever it was, Misty hoped for another outflow of water. She had the guts to swim around in her underwear in front of the guy she liked, the naked guy she liked, but she couldn't kiss him when the circumstances where so darned obvious. All they needed where clothes, candles, and a starry night sky. Even then, those where only objects. Love wasn't an object…  
  
"I-"   
  
"Shh…" Ash's response came immediately afterward and he drew closer.  
  
"What's going on here?" Said a deep voice, causing Ash and Misty to look to their side in surprise.  
  
"Brock?!" They both asked in unison. 


	2. Chapter 2: No Swimming Lessons Required!

Chapter Two:  
  
Caution: this chapter may contain a slight amount of Copyshipping. ^_~ *I repeat: SLIGHT AMOUNT! I'm not good with new ships, but I try the ones I like*  
  
The ancient-blue and mediocre sky rested blankly above their heads. Not a cloud drifted by, it seemed altogether empty; hopeless to eternity. In fact, if you looked directly above, to the sky, it would seem as if the sky was falling. It was a very hypnotizing morning...  
  
And as if this morning wasn't embarrassing enough, breakfast has to be worse… As they sat, most of their friends sat beside them, watching them suspiciously. A few, including Duplica and Tracy, had wide grins spread across their faces. Misty blushed and cleared her throat, then she peered up at Ash, he had his League cap tilted over his forehead to cover his shamed eyes. His arms were crossed and he leaned backwards. Misty licked her dry lips. No words were spoken.  
  
Forty-five dreadful minutes later, Brock announced slowly, breaking the chilled silence, "I'm done." And he stood, taking his food away. The rest of them edged closer to the blushing two on the other end.  
  
"Well, what happened?" Tracey bravely asked.  
  
"Yeah, why weren't you two talking?" Todd asked.  
  
"Well… why weren't you guys talking?" Misty asked, crossing her legs.  
  
"I wasn't talking 'cause nobody else was." Duplica said.  
  
"Why did Brock have to round you two up like a couple of sheep?" Tracey asked. "What were you two doing that you couldn't hear Brock yelling for you?"  
  
Duplica giggled.  
  
"We couldn't hear him okay?!" Ash said, sitting erect and tossing his cap aside. He stood upright. "Why don't you mind your own business?!"  
  
"Um… sorry." Tracey said, holding his hands in motions of defeat.  
  
"Leave us alone. What we do is none of your business." He glared at Tracey.  
  
Ash looked from one friend to another, not once at Misty by the way, and turned and walked away. Tracey, Todd, and Duplica sat puzzled and shocked. Misty shook her head in humiliation and jumped to her feet running after Ash.  
  
"Ash! Ash, wait up!" Misty called out.  
  
He paused in his tracks, looking down at the edge of the sand where the water slowly enveloped the tips of his shoes. Misty stopped at his heels.  
  
"Ash, what's wrong?" She said quietly.  
  
He fell to his rear, almost landing on Misty's feet, and began to slip off his shoes.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked while he pulled off his socks.  
  
He didn't answer her while he took off his shirt and tossed it aside. He briskly took in a fresh breath of the clean air that surrounded them. His arms were chilled, but his forehead and cheeks felt feverishly pyretic. The water that he rested his feet in was a fine lukewarm.   
  
"Come on! Hurry up, we might miss something!" Duplica whispered loudly to Todd.  
  
Todd readied his camera and held it in his right palm as he ran, trying his best to avoid all of the darn trees in his way. He jumped over a large vine and stopped short as Duplica stopped.  
  
"There they are." She muttered.  
  
Todd laughed lightly to himself as he zoomed in on them.  
  
"This is perfect distance." He said.  
  
"Ash?" Misty asked, wondering what to do.  
  
"You know what?" Ash asked.  
  
"…what?"   
  
Ash slowly stood and faced her. He bent forward and kissed her directly on the lips.  
  
The kiss being but a mere second longer than the last, Ash backtracked.  
  
"That's what."  
  
Misty reddened. "What was that for?"   
  
Ash chuckled and held out his arms behind his head. He fell instantly into the lake, back-first.   
  
"Ash!" Misty gasped.  
  
She, of course, ran straight for water and jumped in after him.  
  
Brock jumped up from the archaic tree stump, dropping the plate he had been wiping off and letting it shatter all over the ground by his feet. He had heard Misty's desperate scream for help.   
  
"STOP!" Misty screamed, her voice cracking with laughter.  
  
"Hahahahahaha stop stop st-stop!" She yelled again, feeling Ash's fingers dig deeper into her ribs.  
  
She kicked frantically, causing more and more water to splash up into the air. Todd took picture after picture while his camera snapped, clicked, and whirled all sorts of tiny sounds.  
  
"Oh! This is great!" Duplica said, whipping out a video camera and instinctively stabbing down the 'record' button.  
  
"I didn't know you had a video camera." Todd said admiringly.  
  
"Yeah, I carry it around with me all the time."  
  
"Where do you keep it at?"  
  
Duplica smiled and winked. "Trait secret."  
  
She hummed and continued to watch the two through the small eye hole.  
  
"Oh, this is great."  
  
"How many times will you say that?" Todd asked.  
  
"Until I get tired of it." She replied.  
  
"When would you get tired of it?" He asked, slowing to a stop.  
  
"When you get tired of asking questions."   
  
"… Fair enough." He continued to rapidly take pictures.  
  
"Oh, this is-"  
  
"Great?"  
  
"No. Amazing." She giggled.  
  
"What is so awesome about that camera?" Todd asked.  
  
Duplica stared down at Todd's squatting position.  
  
"It's not the camera. It's the both of them. In love."   
  
Todd looked up at her. "What?"  
  
Duplica blushed.  
  
"Take a look." She said, handing him her camera.  
  
He took it, slipping his hand through the small strap on the side on top of hers. She slowly pulled hers out and stuffed it into her pocket. Todd grinned. He pulled the camera to his gaze and stared at the two. He was so amazed at what he saw that he nearly forgot to push the 'record' button.  
  
"This is great!" He exclaimed as he zoomed in on the two, splashing water all over within a ten-mile radius and Misty screaming with laughter as Ash tickled her.  
  
"You see?" She asked, sitting down on the natural cushion of fallen tree leaves.  
  
"Yeah…" He said slowly.  
  
They slowed to a stop as Misty gripped Ash's arms and easily flipped him over her forehead. He went soaring through the air, falling face-first into the water before wading upwards.  
  
"Jeez, Misty. How'd you get that strong?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"Talent." She said.  
  
"You know we should get out soon… They'll get worried about us if we don't. …And I'm soaked…" Misty said pulling weakly at one of her suspenders and letting it slap back to her shoulder with a stinging force.  
  
Ash cleared his throat and slowly waded towards her, the frigid water measuring up to his collar bone and stopped in front of her, a solemn look on his face.  
  
"Misty. Where are we?" He asked.  
  
"Ooh! Ooh! Look, I think they're going to kiss!" Duplica whispered loudly to Todd, "Make sure you get this!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah…" He muttered, looking away from them to check to see if the tiny red dot in the screen was blinking.  
  
"It's recording." He assured.  
  
Duplica was highly skittish as her hands shook with a fidgety energy. She nervously shuffled her feet, causing the large amount of dry leaves to make loud crunching sounds and small twigs snapped.  
  
"Calm down or they'll see us." Todd warned.  
  
"Oh, you calm down." She snapped back at him.  
  
"What do you mean, Ash?"  
  
"I mean… never mind…"  
  
"No… I'm serious." Misty said solemnly.  
  
"It's just- that- what I'm-…" Ash stuttered.  
  
She smiled. There should have been a time in every girl's life to enjoy something as sweet as this.  
  
"See-"  
  
"Ash?"  
  
"Hm?"   
  
Misty abruptly threw her arms around his neck and kissed him directly on the lips.  
  
"Ooh!" Duplica stood upright. "Did you see that?!" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Todd replied, zooming in.  
  
"Mmm…" Misty moaned happily, leaning into Ash.  
  
"MmmMisty?" Ash asked, dazed, his arms were out to the side as he tried to keep the both of them balanced.  
  
A stray magikarp sluggishly swam by, its fins brushing the back of Misty's knee. She screeched and jumped, causing the two of them to fall into the water.  
  
"Oh." Duplica groaned, smacking her forehead.  
  
"What a dope." Todd chuckled.  
  
"What a dope…" Brock laughed, shoving away the many small leaves.  
  
"Hey! Let me see!" Tracey said, pushing Brock to the side.  
  
"Ugh! Watch it!" Brock grunted.  
  
Tracey tripped over a large moss-covered rock and fell backwards into a tree. It shook wildly and fell into an even weaker tree, which, unfortunately, was struck by lightning last week, and the tree fell into the water.  
  
"What was that?!" Misty sprung from the water.  
  
"…Oops." Tracey muttered, standing up.  
  
"You idiot! We're going to get caught if you don't quit dancing around!" Brock whispered.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Shut up!" Brock whispered loudly.   
  
"That sounded like…Tracey and Brock." Ash said, standing in the water.  
  
"Yeah... They were close, too." Misty's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Brock?!" Ash called out.  
  
"Run." Brock said, grabbing Tracey's shirt and speeding off towards camp.  
  
They ran back to camp.  
  
"What a couple of chickens..." Todd said, following them with the camera.  
  
"No kidding. Clumsy, too." Duplica remarked.  
  
"We should really get back to camp. That might not have been Brock and Tracey." Misty said.  
  
"I doubt it. You know how nosy they are."  
  
She smiled. "Let's just go."  
  
She turned to walk, but a cold, damp hand grabbed her arm in alarm.  
  
"Wait." Ash said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let's just... stay here a while."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because... Let's just stay." He said quietly.  
  
Misty trudged through the soft underwater sand towards Ash with a serene look on her face. She looked calm, at peace; the kind of look a professional nurse exhibits at the side of a feverish toddler. Her tranquil look could settle a war; could turn the most venomous demon into the sweetest angel. She gently embraced him.  
  
"It's fine, Ash. It's perfect." She whispered.  
  
She could feel his breathing in her ear grow soft and shallow and his hands delicately touch her back. One feebly trailed up her back to the back of her neck where he pulled her closer.  
  
"This is the only place where they can't stare at us, bother us." He sighed.  
  
"I know." She whispered.  
  
"Well... actually, there's the... well, never-mind..."  
  
"What is it, Ash?" She asked, looking up.  
  
"Hey. Where're they going?" Duplica said.  
  
Todd looked up from tying his shoe.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"They're going somewhere." She reported in an irritated tone.  
  
Todd looked up to the two teens climbing out of the lake all dripping wet and jogging towards the campsite.  
  
"It looks like they're going back to camp."  
  
"Well, they're going pretty fast!"  
  
"Yeah, I guess..." He mumbled, not even paying attention.  
  
"Come on!" Duplica grinned, grabbing Todd's shirt collar.  
  
"Wha-?" He choked, feeling the ground slide beneath him.  
  
"Let's follow them!" She said, picking up speed.  
  
"Why do we have to follow them?! We know where camp is!" He cried out, swinging the camera's sling around his neck.  
  
End Chapter 2. 


	3. Tent Beats

Judging By Your Smile   
  
Chapter- 3  
  
::Caution:: more copyshipping ^.^  
  
"Pika…Pi…" Pikachu mumbled as it gnawed on the rough tent material.  
  
"Hurry up, Pikachu!" Brock urged slightly above a whisper.  
  
"Pika." It sweatdropped and crawled away.  
  
"Great! Tracey praised quietly, quickly crouching behind the small hole in the tent and looking inside.  
  
"Misty!" Duplica whined to the tent's surface.  
  
"Go…away..." Came the agitated voice from inside.  
  
"What are you two doing in there?" Todd asked Misty.  
  
"None of your business!" Screamed the redhead, "And I already told you, I don't know where Ash is. Get it through your thick head, already!"  
  
"Oh, come on, Misty," Said Duplica with a sly grin, "We know he's in there with you."   
  
"He is not!"  
  
"We heard his voice in there a few minutes ago, Misty." Said Todd.  
  
"Tell me one reason why I would let a guy like Ash into my tent!"  
  
Duplica grinned at Todd, whom grinned back. Simultaneously, they both began to playact:  
  
"Oh, Ash, you are just so sweet and cute… I just don't know what I would do without you!"   
  
"Yes, my sweet Misty, dear, let us go to your tent and make out 'till eternity."  
  
"It's not like that!" Misty screamed.  
  
"Mm… Oh, Ash, your lips taste so sweet, like honey."  
  
"As do yours my dear, but your tender neck tastes even sweeter…"  
  
"Stop that!" Misty blushed.  
  
She abruptly yanked down the small zipper of the tent hearing the dull 'buzz' and Duplica and Todd nearly jumped a foot in the air. Misty sweatdropped.  
  
"Look, here. Take your clothes-"She tossed Duplica's clothes out of the tent, "-your stuff-"She threw her bag out, "-and your pokemon," She tossed out her confused, out-of-place ditto *ditto!*, "And go spend the night in Todd's tent, since you two just can't keep your hands off each other."  
  
"Wait!" Duplica said, pacing to the tent, leaving Todd to fall into the dirt.  
  
Misty instantly zipped the tent's opening back up and sighed, a sweatdrop gliding down her head. Duplica fell backwards onto the hard ground.  
  
"Well, fine! I don't need you two making out all over my stuff anyways!" Duplica said, picking up one of her jeans and dusting it off.  
  
"Go away. I told you, I don't know where Ash is." Said Misty.  
  
"Whatever, Misty. We know he's in there with you." Tracey said, still peeking through the chewn-out hole.   
  
"Ack!" Misty gasped, hearing Tracey's voice behind her.  
  
She turned around, saw the small hole, and drove her finger through the middle of it.  
  
"Aah!" Tracey screamed, jumping away from the tent and rubbing his injured eye.  
  
"What happened?" Brock asked.  
  
"Go away! Can't you all just get a life?!" Misty shouted.  
  
"Hey Ash, are you sure you're not in there?" Tracey called into the tent.  
  
Misty again sweatdropped.   
  
"Do I have to take a mallet to you?" She asked.  
  
Suddenly, the atmosphere became phenomenally silent.  
  
'Well, I guess that's a little bit better…' She thought, the eerie-ness a little tensing.  
  
Silently, she crawled on all fours over to the sleeping body curled up on the other side of the tent and lie down next to it.  
  
"I think they're gone now…" She whispered softly, gently petting his hair.  
  
Almost soundlessly replied a few hushed snores and a cold, damp hand clutch hers, and as if on instinct, the body cuddled close to hers bringing her hand to his chest. Misty smiled pleasantly and slowly wrapped her arm around his side.  
  
"'Night, Ash." She murmured.  
  
"I can't stand this," Tracey said, staring at the tent helplessly, "They've been in there for over an hour now and nothing."  
  
"Not even a sound, I know." Brock agreed, "Hey, you got any more of those… grape sodas?"  
  
Tracey made a face and stood, looking around for his backpack.  
  
"Somewhere around here…" He spotted the other tent, "Ah! I remember. It's in the tent."   
  
He began walking to the boys' tent when Brock stopped him, firmly gripping his shoulder.  
  
"Whoa. Remember what Mist was saying?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"About Todd and Duplica around an hour ago?"  
  
"No. Guess I wasn't paying attention." Tracey sweatdropped.  
  
"I think they're in there." He said.  
  
"But... isn't Duplica a girl?"   
  
Brock stared at Tracey solemnly, "Yeah, that's..."  
  
"…Ohhhhh…" Tracey approved of Brock's hypothesis.  
  
He shrugged, "Oh well, I'll only be in there for a second anyways."  
  
"Fine, go." The amused Brock chuckled, letting go of his shoulder.  
  
The sun rested peacefully along the mountain's peaks as it settled into a sweet afternoon dusk. The air was warm with the smells of a forest and the liveliness of the stable pine. Acorns dusted the road. After numerous apologies, Tracey walked out of his tent, dazed, the skin upon the back of his neck still rising from all of the terror-sought screams. Brock grinned intellectually and neighborly patted Tracey's back, taking his backpack from him.  
  
"Didn't think you'd come out alive." Brock commented.  
  
After a while, they sat back down on the large, rotten tree stomp and leaned up against another tree while watching the sunset.  
  
"You know, we should get a fire going." Brock said, standing up.  
  
"Naw, do we have to? It isn't even cold. And it seems that everyone else'll be sleeping soon enough." Tracey said, gesturing towards the two tents.   
  
"It just occurred to me," Brock swallowed hard, "Where'll we sleep?"  
  
Tracey smiled and handed him a bottle full of the clear fluid.  
  
"Thanks." He said, sitting back down and twisting off the bottle cap.  
  
He was about to drink it, but instead briskly sniffed it, and examined the ingredients.  
  
"What are you doing?" Tracey laughed.  
  
Brock shrugged it off and drank.  
  
"Wow, it really is grape soda." He said.  
  
Tracey rolled his eyes. "Duh. I told you that."  
  
"Huh. Very good drink." Brock said, twisting the cap back on and setting it aside.  
  
"You think we'd get away with… re-ordering them?"  
  
"Huh?"   
  
"Get Tracey and Duplica in the girls' tent?" Tracey asked.  
  
"Hmm. I'm not sure. It's risky."  
  
"Once they fall asleep, I mean."  
  
"Maybe. But do we have to move them right away?" Brock asked.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, Tracey, have you ever really pulled a good prank?" Brock asked.  
  
Tracey grinned. "Maybe. What's it to you?"  
  
"Hmm…"  
  
Ash woke up slowly, sluggishly sitting upwards and examining the surroundings about him. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat, realizing the pink tent material and wondering why in the world was he in the girls' tent, but then, remembering the incidents that had happened only… well, who knows how long ago at the moment, he lay back down again next to the shallow-breathing redhead. He tried to fall asleep again but his body was overflowing with energy, the kind of energy a person only experiences after a well-deserved nap. Eyeing his sleepy friend, he tenderly stroked her shoulder, down her arm, to her fingers and back again. He didn't know why though… He frowned.   
  
"What…" He muttered quietly.  
  
He lay back down, supporting himself on his elbow, and sighed facing Misty. Her face was blank; the expression empty and cold. She laid so still, only her chest rising and falling with each light breath.   
  
'The beauty of an empty expression…' Thought Ash, 'The beauty of emptiness. The… beauty of… nothing…'  
  
The absence was so inviting…was almost hypnotizing…  
  
Shock pulsed through his body as he came to realize how far up Misty's thigh his hand had been traveling. He instantly jerked it away from her body and stuffed it into his pillow, ashamed of his thickheaded actions.  
  
'Good thing she isn't awake.' He thought, a pink blush warming his face.  
  
The sweet aroma of night entered his atmosphere and he was at once surrounded by the light sounds of poliwags.   
  
"It must be sundown already…" Ash said to himself.  
  
Suddenly, his stomach growled in hunger. He winced.  
  
"Better go see if there's anything to eat."  
  
Carefully crawling through the tent he reached the exit and crawled out. The stars and moon were radiant against the pitched blackness and the slight burbling of the poliwags grew a bit louder. Another sound drifted through the air: the sound of twigs snapping and a temperate roar of fire. Brock and Tracey sat together next to a small fire as Brock threw in a large stick.  
  
"I thought you said you weren't going to build a fire." Tracey said.  
  
"I changed my mind."  
  
"Hey guys," Ash said, sitting down next to them, "What've you been up to?"  
  
Both Brock and Tracey gasped and jumped in their seats then turned to face Ash.  
  
"How long have you been sitting there?" Tracey asked.  
  
"I just sat down." Ash said lamely.  
  
Brock sighed slowly of relief and smiled.  
  
"So, Ash," Brock started, rubbing his hands together, "Have fun?"  
  
Tracey stifled a laugh.  
  
"Fun?" Ash asked, "What do you mean."  
  
"C'mon, Brock, we don't need to be teaching him anything he doesn't know." Tracey laughed.  
  
"What? What are you two talking about?" Ash asked in a pure voice.  
  
Tracey and Brock snickered.  
  
"Never mind." Brock said, waving at Ash's question.  
  
"Why did you build a fire, Brock? It's not cold out or anything and-" Ash asked.  
  
"Because I felt like it."  
  
"Because Brock's scared of the dark." Tracey said.  
  
"I am not!"  
  
Tracey laughed.  
  
"Hey Brock, you got anything to eat?" Ash asked.  
  
"Yes, but not much." He said, pulling his backpack into his lap.  
  
He reached in a pulled out a bag of marshmallows.   
  
"Where'd these come from?" He asked, eyeing the bag, "Wha…"  
  
Brock began to pull out anonymous items, such as pictures of women and extra cases of film. Er… at least he thought it was film, but it wasn't like he wanted to find out.  
  
"What in the world?" He asked, tossing the stuff back in.  
  
"Hey!" Ash said, snatching the bag from his hand before he had the chance to stuff it back in.  
  
"Oh, Brock… What've you been up to?" Tracey asked slyly.  
  
"What do you mean? This junk isn't mine!"  
  
"Oh really, whose is it then?"   
  
"I don't know. It could be Todd's."  
  
"Oh, sure."  
  
"Hey guys, I'm gonna go now. G'night."  
  
"'Night Ash." They said as Todd tried to sneak a picture out of Brock's pack, but was only responded with a slap on the back of his hand.  
  
"Misty?" He asked softly as he entered the pink tent.  
  
She was still asleep, her hair spread out upon the small pillow. She must've been moving or rolling around in her sleep at least a few feet across the tent. She had a sweet smile on her face… it looked kinda creepy… Must be how you're not really supposed to be smiling while you're sleeping. She rolled to her side and sighed. Ash plopped down next to her popping in a marshmallow and sat cross-legged.   
  
"Mmmph."   
  
A slight moan caught his attention. He noticed Misty had been facing him.  
  
"Mmmmmph." She moaned lower.  
  
She faintly giggled. For some reason Ash couldn't chew…  
  
"Ash? You-…" She uttered gently, "Mmmmmph…"  
  
Ash suddenly realized the many marshmallows scattered at his feet.  
  
"Ah…" She sighed and rolled onto her back.  
  
Ash sat completely frozen, not even able to compute the numerous sensations rolling down his spine. Her smile faded and he sighed almost thankfully.  
  
"Well," He scoffed and lay down; he rolled his eyes at the empty plastic marshmallow bag and tossed it aside, not even bothering to pick any up, "So much for dinner…"  
  
His eyes strayed to Misty's face.  
  
"It's not like I could eat anything right now anyways…"  
  
The wind blew softly, getting a tiny bit stronger and stronger. It made the walls of the tent shiver and Ash sat up. He could hear the leaves above them clattering and shaking. A small twig snapped and fell, one by one, hitting the top of the tent. The wind softened but didn't stop. Faint drops of water lightly tapped the top of the tent. A few at once, and then some more. The sprinklets of rain intruded the silence, as if rudely.  
  
Suddenly, Ash froze as he heard a soft, almost silent whispering.   
  
  
  
"They must be sleeping," He could make out, "Just avoid the two by the fire."  
  
"How will we get the pokemon if they're in the tent with them?"  
  
Ash's palms began to sweat. He tapped on Misty's shoulder.  
  
"Misty, wake up." He whispered hurriedly, gathering his pokeballs and pushing them into his backpack. 


	4. Lake Refugees

Misty gingerly blinked her eyes open, her smile was unmistakably pleasant.  
  
"Hi." She said passionately, reaching up to hug him.  
  
"Misty, you gotta get up." He whispered.  
  
"Why? Is it raining?" Misty's attention was turned to the weather.  
  
"Misty, get up we have to get out of here." He quietly repeated.  
  
"What? Ash, what's wrong? Is it morning already?" She yawned.  
  
"No there's someone outside. Try to keep your voice down or they'll hear us." He whispered, "We have to leave."  
  
"Is it Team Rocket?" She asked, sitting up and gathering her backpack and the sleeping Togepi that had mysteriously rolled into the corner.  
  
"I don't know, but there are people out there who want to steal our pokemon. And they're right outside of our tent."  
  
"Okay, let's go." She whispered, pulling on her shoes.  
  
Ash slowly pulled at the tent's zipper and looked around them. The rain had slowed to a heavy mist. A small lightning bolt lit up the sky. Both Tracey and Brock slept in their sleeping bags beneath a large oak. He grabbed onto Misty's hand and quickly led her outside.   
  
"I'll go wake them up and you can go and warn Duplica and Todd." Ash said.  
  
They split up, their hands losing the warmth of each others and replaced with the cold bitterness of the night air. Ash ran quickly to his friends' camping spot.  
  
"Brock, Tracey, wake up quick!" He whispered, shaking their shoulders.  
  
"What? We're awake." They both said, tossing their sleeping bags aside and sitting up.  
  
"What's wrong?" Brock asked.  
  
"There's someone in the woods, right behind our tent." He whispered.  
  
"Pi…" Pikachu mumbled, crawling out of Brock's bag sleepily.  
  
"Let's go buddy." Ash said to Pikachu as he started to jog off, motioning for Brock and Tracey to follow.   
  
"How many are there?" Brock asked, catching up to Ash.  
  
"I don't know. But we have to find a clearing. There were voices all around us so there must be a whole team of them here."  
  
"I agree. Let's find a clearing." Tracey said, "But where's there a clearing around here?"  
  
Ash had an idea.  
  
"I know." Ash said, "Just follow me."  
  
Misty entered the dark blue, almost black tent spotting Duplica and Todd rolled up in a ball at the side of the tent. She listened to the slight squeaking of the tent material beneath her sneakers as she quietly walked towards them.  
  
"Duplica?" Misty asked, shaking Duplica.  
  
She yawned and rolled out of Todd's loose grip around her shoulders.  
  
"What's up, Misty?" She asked.  
  
"Get Todd up, there's an emergency. Hurry." She whispered.  
  
"O-okay." She said unsurely.  
  
"Todd, get up." She said, flipping him over on his back.  
  
"What?" He asked groggily, "Oh, what is wrong with my neck?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders and rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"Let's go." Duplica said, grabbing Todd's arm and running out the tent.   
  
They ran into Ash, Brock, and Tracey and Misty followed.   
  
"Where're we going?" Duplica asked as the group lurked around the edge of the forest, leaving their campsites. Ash stopped.  
  
"Does everyone have their pokemon?" He asked quietly.  
  
They all nodded, except Duplica.  
  
"Duplica?" Ash asked.  
  
"I have my ditto. I just wanna know where we're going." She asked.  
  
"We're going to the nearest clearing." Ash said.  
  
They began to walk as quickly and as quietly as possible, avoiding as much noise as possible. The cool night air was refreshing in a way, but it seemed to envelope around them, making them feel anxious, nervous, and suspicious of their surroundings. There was a loud SNAP and everyone gasped.  
  
"Heh heh… sorry…" Misty said just above a whisper.  
  
They continued, shooting nervous glances into the forest. The lake came into view.   
  
"The lake?!" Misty whispered in Ash's ear.  
  
"It's the only clearing I know of around here." He replied.  
  
"It's the lake…" Todd said.  
  
"Come on." Ash said as they walked completely out of the forest and entered the lake's territory. So they stood in a small field that faced the open lake- all around it and them was completely forest.  
  
"Okay… I brought an extra tent just in case." Brock said, handing them the supplies. "Set it up."  
  
Tracey nodded.  
  
They all pitched in when building the tent. Todd looked at his watch.  
  
"It's eleven o' clock already." He said, surprised.  
  
"Okay," Brock began as he attached the last poles together, "Who's the lucky guy to volunteer as first watch?"  
  
"I will." Ash said, stepping forth.  
  
"Alright," Brock agreed, "Everyone get in."  
  
One by one, they all filed into the tent. A few 'ow's were heard as they accidentally tripped over one another. Brock looked around into the forest hoping to see somebody but it was useless. He yawned and crawled inside. But before zipping up the entrance, he asked,   
  
"Hey Misty, what're you doing out there?"  
  
"I…can't leave Ash out here all alone…" She said quietly.  
  
Brock nodded and closed up the entrance. They were alone out there. Ash sighed and sat down on a large rock protruding from the tall grasses that shielded the empty field.  
  
"Do… you think that that was really Team Rocket?" Misty asked, trying to start up a conversation.  
  
"I don't know… they've been our worst enemies, so far…"  
  
"But what if they're some gang or something? Ash?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What if they have weapons? Guns or knives-"  
  
"Then I'd protect you." Ash said quickly.  
  
Misty smiled. "You would?"  
  
Ash blushed, but quickly nodded. "Of course!"  
  
"Would... you risk your life... for mine?" She asked slowly.  
  
"Y-yes."  
  
Misty grinned and stood up. She walked to the tent.  
  
"Where are you going?" Asked Ash.  
  
She came back with a sleeping bag. It was hers.  
  
"What's that for?"  
  
She laid it out on the ground upon the large amounts of grass.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"What's with all the questions? Come here." She said, sitting down on and patting the sleeping bag.  
  
Obeying her commands, he sat down on the soft sleeping bag, waiting for her to tell him what to do next.  
  
"Ash, have you ever… kissed anyone before me?"  
  
Ash lay down and stared up at the stars- the billions of shiny stars.  
  
"No, have you?"  
  
"Uh-uh."  
  
"Do you like kissing… with me, of course."  
  
"Of course I do."  
  
"Well…" Misty blushed, "I was just wondering… are you… um… capable... of making out... with me? Maybe right now?"  
  
Ash blinked at the foreign words that she'd just spoken.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What's what?" She asked, looking up at the sky and wondering what he was asking about.  
  
"Making out?"  
  
Misty winced. Why did she always have to explain these things to him?  
  
"U-um… It's uh… It's kinda like…" Misty laid down beside him, slowly in thought. "I… can't really explain it… it's more like an act than a feeling or thought and… it's hard to explain…"  
  
"Well, can you show me?"  
  
"Uh-" Misty blushed, "It's more like… a two-person kind of thing, you know?"  
  
Ash propped himself on his elbow to face her, "Well, tell me what I should do."  
  
Misty's mind suddenly drew a blank. How do you teach someone something like this?  
  
"Er…" She stuttered. This was going to be hard.   
  
After a while she sighed. "You know, nevermind… I guess you'll learn… one day…"  
  
Ash felt a little depressed. She wasn't going to teach him? But she wanted this... so... why?  
  
"Well… this 'making out' thing… Is it something you'd… w-want?"  
  
Misty looked surprised, but she nodded.   
  
"But, I guess waiting is the best thing t-"  
  
Without notice, Ash immediately planted a tame, feeble kiss on Misty's lips. Misty, surprised by his sudden actions, crimsoned a rosy pink.   
  
"I wanna learn. Now." He said, pulling off.  
  
Misty smiled passionately.   
  
"Okay." She said, kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his neck, "Just learn."  
  
^.~  
  
Ash slowly opened his eyes and saw…   
  
"Brock! Why are you up?" He said, sitting up and knowing a sleeping Misty off of his chest.  
  
"Because somebody wasn't keeping watch." Brock said, looming above them.  
  
"Uuhhhh… whaaat…" Misty moaned.   
  
She unconsciously rearranged her sleeping position so that she ended up face-down on Ash's lap. He blushed and shuffled out from under her, gently letting her fall.   
  
"Uh. Good …morning…" She said, sitting up.  
  
"It's noon. What were you two doing, staying up all night?" Brock asked.  
  
Ash cleared his throat and looked behind him to see Duplica, Todd, Tracey, Ditto, Pikachu, and even Togepi helping in packing up the tent.  
  
"It's… none of your business…" Misty said sleepily, falling back down on Ash for another nap.  
  
"Oh, I see…" Brock said, turning away.  
  
Ash scowled and stood up, helping his girlfriend up as well.  
  
"C'mon, let's go get some water or something. I'm parched." Ash said.  
  
He wrapped an arm around her and guided her to his backpack, which was lying against an old oak tree by the tent supplies. Misty sighed.  
  
"I don't know why I'm so bleary…" She said.  
  
"Maybe you're just worn out." Ash chuckled, taking the water bottle from out of his bag.  
  
Misty laughed.  
  
"At what, are you suggesting?"  
  
"Making out with your boyfriend shouldn't be that tiring."   
  
"I don't-" Misty yawned, "Know what's wrong with me."  
  
"Pika! Pi-pi-pi?" Asked Pikachu as it hopped on Ash's lap.  
  
"You want some water, Pikachu?" He asked, handing the bottle over.  
  
The little pokemon nodded and gratefully took it, chugging down the warm liquid in tiny gulps.  
  
"Pika!" It cried out refreshingly.  
  
Ash smiled and watched as Pikachu ran off to entertain Togepi.  
  
"I think I might be a little sick…" She said, "I have a little headache and my throat is a little sore…"  
  
Ash turned his attention to Misty.  
  
"Are your muscles sore?"  
  
"A little…" She replied, shrugging her shoulders.  
  
Ash felt her forehead with his hand, "You are a little warm…"  
  
"Oh, do you even know what you're doing?" She grinned.  
  
"Nope, but it never hurts to try."  
  
Ash sighed and gave up trying to find something he wasn't even sure of.   
  
"Maybe you got a bug bite… A black widow or some-"  
  
"B-BLACK WIDOW?!?!" Misty freaked.   
  
She suddenly passed out.  
  
"Misty?" Ash shook her shoulder after her head hit his knees.   
  
Misty unconsciously rolled off the rock that they were sitting on and onto the ground in a heap. Her eyes were closed. She wasn't moving.  
  
"Brock!" Ash jumped up immediately and ran to Brock.  
  
Misty opened her eyes weakly as she watched Ash run away from her. Her whole world went black as a strong ping of pain in her left shoulder jolted through her body. 


	5. I missed you so much: The final chapter

*~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~*.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.*  
  
And as the smile ceased, the emotion began.  
  
*~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~*.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.*  
  
I missed you so much: The final chapter  
  
With a gasp, Misty fell to the ground in a heap at Ash's feet. Ash ran to Brock for help after realizing that there was nothing he could do to help her. But once he turned around, she was gone. A search party was created. Misty had to be found.  
  
"Do you think she wandered off somewhere?" Brock asked.  
  
"There's no way she would wander off. She passed out, for crying out loud!" Ash stressed, "Mistyyyyy! Where are you?!!"  
  
After the repetitive calls for her, Misty never replied.  
  
She was gone.  
  
The minutes turned to hours, and still no sign of her. The sun was beginning to set; no one had eaten all day. Brock set a reassuring hand on Ash's shoulder  
  
.  
  
"Don't worry Ash. She'll come back. Maybe she just went for a walk."  
  
"No, Brock!" Ash thrashed off the hand on his shoulder, spinning around, and looked up at him with a red, tear-stained face. "What if she got lost? Or kidnapped?!"  
  
Brock looked at him with soft, concerned eyes. Sympathy nearly played an audible tune from his heart as he felt sorry for him. "You really loved her, didn't you?"  
  
Ash stood silent for a second. His face was about to burst with tears and his cheeks turned pink with sadness. Nearly ignoring his friend's question, he simply nodded and sniffled and sighed in a shuddering breath, as breathing was quite difficult.  
  
"Don't worry, Ash." He said, putting both hands on his shoulders. "Misty's been gone before. We just have to believe that she'll come back."  
  
"But she was passed out! She was unconscious!" Ash began to sob, "How-could-she-walk-walk off if…if she's un-consci-cious…"  
  
Brock didn't know what to say. Instead, he grabbed Ash's arm and lead him to the small, makeshift fire that Tracey was trying to start. Duplica sat on a large stump at the side of the lake and kicked at the water with her wet feet. Todd sat next to her, silent with his feet in his lap. Once by the fire, Brock assembled the small pot above the flames and motioned for Ash to sit down. He sat.  
  
"Ash, did I ever tell you about the time when Mary got lost?"   
  
"Mary? Who's that?" Ash sniffled.  
  
Brock handed him a bowl. "One of my little siblings."  
  
"Oh. What about her?" Ash asked, wiping his eyes with his wrist.  
  
"Well," Brock began and sat Indian-style on the grass, "It was nap time. I had just put Mary to bed when I heard John screaming for me. So, making sure that she was asleep, I left to see what John wanted and he had already fallen asleep. So, I went to check on the rest of them, but Mary was missing. She was asleep, and I wondered how she could have wandered off and I panicked."  
  
"What'd you do?"  
  
"I looked everywhere. I even checked with neighbors and all over town. I couldn't find her anywhere and it's hard to look for someone with twelve other little peoples to watch. Turns out though, she had only gone to the bathroom, fell into the toilet, and started her own bath." Brock chuckled, "Mary was always the independent one."  
  
Ash smiled in hope. "So there was nothing to worry about?"  
  
Brock shook his head, "Nope. But-:" He said, leaning over the heated pot, "It's always good to worry, just don't kill yourself." He winked and poured a little soup into Ash's bowl.  
  
Misty opened her eyes to the world around her, but it was a dark world… Too dark. Slowly, but surely, she sat up, still groggy from passing out earlier. The environment around her was so dark and so silent that it scared her. The stars and moon, if there were any, weren't visible at all and blended into the darkness. But she could smell the pine, the rain on the breeze and she suddenly heard the tree leaves clattering- shivering and shaking above her. She felt the ground- a cool, hard, dirt floor. She must've been outside.  
  
Suddenly, there were footsteps sounding from behind her. And it was just then did she notice that her hands were bound together with a scratchy rope-type material behind her back, as well as her feet. There were the footsteps sounding closer and closer to where she sat. She noticed that she must have been taken capture, and nearly screamed, but a sharp tip of something pricked the side of her neck and in a rough voice someone said,   
  
"Get up."  
  
Reluctantly she did stand, wishing that she could shout for help, without having that knife against her neck as it shone in the sudden presence of the moonlight. She silently prayed that she wouldn't trip against something in the thick darkness and push the knife further into her neck. Those things *were* dangerous…  
  
"Who are you?" She asked shakily.  
  
He growled softly in reply, grinding the blade of the knife into the skin of her neck. She winced and refused to scream in shock and pain. If a simple question could anger this person, what would a scream for help do? She decided that it was best to keep quiet. A tiny trail of blood trickled down her throat, and she let it seep into her shirt.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Misty!" Ash shouted suddenly, sitting erect in his sleeping bag. He was panting, with salty sweat dripping down his forehead and on his face screamed out a worried expression with so much emotion. He quickly looked around the entire tent and shivered with its emptiness. Even with Tracey, Todd, Duplica, Brock, Togepi, and even Pikachu, the loss of Misty's presence left him feeling like part of his soul had wandered off, and it left him feeling… empty…   
  
The heavy blanket of silence was suddenly lifted, and there was a muffled shout, followed by heated, angry murmurs from outside. Desperately hoping that Misty was actually in trouble, and he could save her, he eagerly sprang out of the bag that tied him down and nearly burst through the tent's exit. He was met with a strange group of people that he thought he'd never seen before and they were standing by the old pile of sticks that he had once called a 'fire'. There must have been at least five of them, all dressed in pitch black, which only helped make Misty's weary body more visible as it stood out against them. Instantly, he was excessively pissed off.   
  
"What do you think you're doing with her?!" He shouted.  
  
The shortest of them all stood forward and in front of her and cleared his throat professionally, "Oh, we'll do whatever we want with her," he said, "That is, until you hand over all of your pokemon right now, along with hers and the rest of your friends, and pray that they're valuable."  
  
The rest of his friends grinned. Misty's fatigued face hung low- her pale skin glistening with sweat.  
  
"Duplica, all you have to do is distract them somehow while I run back into the forest. Tracey, while Duplica is distracting them, tell Ash to save Misty and that I'll take care of the gang. Pikachu, you help Ash out. Okay everyone?"  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu saluted.  
  
"What about me?" Todd asked.  
  
"You can… watch out after Duplica." Brock offered.  
  
Todd mumbled something about always being picked last as Duplica slowly snuck out the back of the tent after cutting it open with a pocket knife. Was there any other way?  
  
"Be careful." Todd warned her and she looked back behind her and lightly kissed him.   
  
"Don't worry about me." She said and carefully crept out of the tent, nearly stumbling into a tree, when Todd caught her from around the waist. She smiled, raising an eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder causing Todd to blush.  
  
"Now is *not* the time, guys!" Brock quietly whispered from inside the broken tent.  
  
Duplica stuck her tongue out, but continued to walk out and into the forest to get to behind the black coated gang without their notice. Todd followed. And then Tracey, sneaking around the side of the tent and listening to the gang's stupid rambling.  
  
Suddenly, there was a thunder clap in the distance and a bolt of lightning lit up the sky. A few rain drops gathered on Ash's furrowed forehead.   
  
"You'd better let her go… you bastards…" Ash growled, his fists clutching.  
  
"I wouldn't go and get too pushy if I was you, Ash." Said the short one. A tall guy with a knife at Misty's throat made the blade shimmer in the momentarily released beam of moonlight. "You just might upset Jordan, and he's just crazy with a knife. Especially with a pretty young lady to slice open."  
  
His words had hurt. And it made Ash's heart jump in fear. Still, Misty had been knocked out cold, leaning heavily in the arms another guy and a woman standing behind her, and they happily held her as they nodded at the short dude's words.   
  
Suddenly, something caught Ash's eye. To the right of the gang, Duplica emerged from the forest with Ditto and grinned with her hands on her hips. "Hey you freaks!" She shouted.  
  
Everyone turned to her and Jordan jerked Misty's body around with him as if she was a rag doll- her feet dragging on the ground. Oh… how much Ash wanted to beat the crap out of him just for touching her in the first place, and who knows what else they did…  
  
Duplica stood at the edge of the forest as confident as possible and shouted, "Hey, do you know where this place is on the map? I'm kinda lost and if you would ever be so kind to-"  
  
"You got some nerve!" Growled the leader.  
  
"I'm sorry… But if you would just tell me where I am…"  
  
"That's a ditto, boss. You think we should get that one?" Asked the guy holding Misty as they whispered into the short guy's ear.  
  
He nodded stiffly and the two of them left Misty to fall to the ground when Jordan and another man caught her in midair and held her up before she could fall.   
  
Duplica watched expectantly as the two goons ran toward her and her ditto, like a couple of buffalo. She grinned and winked at her pokemon before slamming down what looked like a small bomb. It exploded a mere second before hitting the ground- BOOM! And the two buffalos ducked and fell to the ground. After the explosion, a series of smaller explosions popped as Duplica, hidden in the bomb-fog lit firecrackers and threw them around the two goons. Quite unexpected. The ditto laughed in glee as did Duplica as she prepared for the greatest stunt she could pull.  
  
"What was that?!" Asked the boss.  
  
"It looked like a little bomb…" Muttered Jordan.  
  
"Nah, really?" He mocked.  
  
"Well, what else could it be?!" Jordan asked, offended and dropping Misty so that she hit the ground with a hard thud. Ash winced as he saw her fall and hit her head and hoped that they wouldn't carelessly walk over her next.  
  
"You idiot! You're going to put her into a coma if you keep thrashing that girl around like that. Now, pick her up or else we'll have a dead hostage." Said the short one.  
  
An unnamed man in the group sighed and picked her up, wishing that it would just end soon… Then Misty began to giggle.  
  
"Ah!" He shrieked, "She's awake!" He nearly dropped her himself as she squirmed in his arm.  
  
  
  
Jordan grabbed her arm and jerked her around, ready to shut her up, when he realized… that wasn't the red head.  
  
"What the hell?! Where is she?!" Shouted Jordan.  
  
"It's a secret." Duplica said, flicking his nose and grinning like an idiot.  
  
Immediately Jordan whipped out the rather large knife and held it a centimeter from her nose and she gasped in surprise.  
  
"Now, I'm gonna ask you nicely only once- Where is the girl?"  
  
"Ah! Look, there she is!" Duplica pointed up to the sky at a celebi. A yellow- nearly golden- celebi. "That's my celebi. You can have it if you let me and the other girl go. I'll bet it's worth millions, maybe even billions."   
  
Jordan looked thoughtfully at this newfound pokemon in the sky floating above him. The boss stared in awe.   
  
"Let's take it." Said the boss, "C'mon."  
  
The short one gathered his men and they chased after the celebi into the woods. Duplica sighed, having the huge knife out of her face. Pikachu flashed a fang-bared grin and chased after the gang into the woods.  
  
"Where's Misty?" Ash asked.  
  
"She's… behind the… tent." Duplica said, thinking of other things and looking around to find Todd.  
  
Ash ran to the spot that Duplica had described, worried to the brim about Misty.   
  
There she lay. In one piece with a few scratches and bruises, but she looked okay. Grass that poked up from the ground brushed up against her body as the wind blew and a few more rain drops fell from the dark sky. A small, dried river of blood traced down the side of her neck where the knife had been before. He sat sown beside her and gently brushed her damp bangs to the side and brought an edge of his shirt to his mouth, licking a bit of it and gingerly wiping away the dry blood on her neck.  
  
"Misty?" He whispered softly, leaning above her sleeping form.  
  
He rested one hand on her shoulder and another supported him on his elbow as he leaned a bit of a few inches from her face and stared contently at her relaxed expression. He watched her eyes twitch beneath her eyelids as he whispered her name over and over like a spell.   
  
"I love you." She managed to say in a raspy breath, trying hard to clear her throat.  
  
The sudden change in sound surprised him, but nevertheless did his eyes water with tears.  
  
"I love you, too." He said softly, his voice spilling with emotion.  
  
"Good." She nodded, "That's really good."   
  
  
  
"Yeah." Ash laughed weakly, "yeah…"  
  
"Hey," She began, gently grabbing his forearm, "Kiss me, please."  
  
He smiled.   
  
"That would just be the best, most sweetest thing you could do right now-" suddenly, her knees jerked upwards in a sudden spasm and she softly cried out in pain in the middle of her sentence, "is to kiss me…"  
  
He felt the familiar itch of pain that rose to his eyes causing them to water with tears.  
  
"What did they DO to you?!" He asked quietly. He could feel himself getting lost in his sadness for her pain as the hot tears rolled down his cheeks and hugged her tightly, as if vowing to the world that he would never let her go, ever.   
  
She let him hold her and wrapped her arms slowly around his neck, pulling him closer, so that he nearly lay on top of her.   
  
"I think… they gave me something…" She said quietly.  
  
"What? Do you remember? Do we need to get you to a doctor?"   
  
"I can't remember… It was a shot… a needle. It may have been dirty, though…"  
  
She heard him sob suddenly into her shoulder, kissing her neck a few times and sitting up, carefully bringing her with him.  
  
  
  
"Come on…" He whispered, "Let's get out of here."  
  
Then, as a bright flash of lightning lit up the heavens, an angry onix growled loudly as it smacked the gang into thin air, a pissed pikachu shouted as a large lightning bolt sent them frying and flying. Brock grinned victoriously and Duplica snuck Ash's pokedex back into his jacket pocket as her golden-celebi-ditto chirped and landed on her arm as it slunk into its original pink-blob shape.  
  
"Team Rocket's blasting off agaaaiinnnn!"  
  
"Shut up, you morons!!!"   
  
~.~.~.~Back in Hartford City, and the city's hospital- Hartford Hospital~.~.~.~  
  
"You may see her now, Mr. Ketchum." Said the nurse as she looked up from her notepad.  
  
Ash nearly dropped the magazine that he had been twisting in every which and way in his impatience. Duplica held Todd's hand tightly in hope and prayer for Misty, while Tracey had already fallen asleep in Brock's shoulder with a sleeping Togepi and a sleeping Pikachu in his lap. Brock looked up at Ash, "I'll wait."  
  
He nodded and walked across the cold, lifeless room into the next cold and lifeless room, pushing the heavy door slowly, careful that he might hit a hundred-year-old man in a wheelchair. The last room to his left… Okay, that was where Misty would be. The halls were empty, so he ran, feeling his concern get the best of him. The soles of his feet ground against the shiny tile floor as he opened the hospital door with a sweaty hand. The room was dark inside. All he could see was a bed in the middle of the room in front of the door as the florescent hall light spilled in.   
  
"Misty?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Hey Ash." She said, sitting up.  
  
"Are you… feeling okay?" He shut the door behind him and flicked on the light.  
  
"Oh, please." Misty begged, squinting as she shielded her eyes from the light, her pupils refusing to adjust.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." The lights were out again and he carefully made his way to the bed. When he reached her, he held her tube-inserted hand.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.   
  
"For what?" She asked.  
  
"For being such an absentminded ass… I shouldn't have let you lay there by yourself."  
  
"No… It's not your fault." She whispered, kissing his hand.  
  
"No, don't kiss me. I'm supposed to be kissing you." He smiled, "You're the handicapped one."  
  
"Well," Misty chuckled, "Give me your best shot."  
  
"Oh no, my best shot will have to wait 'till later…"   
  
They both looked at each other, from what they could see in the darkness, and laughed.  
  
"So, what did that gang give you?" Ash asked.  
  
"A drug called Julbie. It's not as strong as some, but it was beginning to shut down my body so…"  
  
"So it was pretty strong…"   
  
"Yeah… BUT, they flushed it right out of my system! So no more tears, Ashy-boy!" She exclaimed, trying hard to sound stronger than the last time he had seen her.  
  
"Hey, since when do you come off of calling me that?" He smiled.  
  
"Since now."  
  
"Well, this Ashy-boy is in love with Mist-girl."  
  
"I would certainly hope so, mister." She said, playing with the hem of her hospital dress.   
  
He sat down next to her in a small leather seat and kissed her forehead, wiping her damp bangs away.  
  
"Do you remember the other day, at the lake, you asked me where we were?"  
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Well, despite the fact that I'm partially injured, it's two AM in the morning, and we're sitting in a hospital in the middle of Hartford, I think that we're still where we were in the beginning. That day when we were in the lake together for the first time… On cloud nine…"  
  
"There's no argument-"  
  
"And the first night that we kissed… I had a dream about you." She interrupted, "I just thought I should tell you… Before something like this happens again, and I'd never get the chance to…to…" She began to cry.  
  
"It's fine… All I need to know is how you really felt about me… that's all…" He said, "Don't get so upset about something that hasn't and won't happen." And he began to stroke her cheeks, "And um… I had a dream that night as well…" He blushed.  
  
Misty's eyes brightened, "Really? What was it about?"  
  
"Ne…" He flushed red, "You'd think I was a hentai or something…"  
  
"Hentai? No… If I ever caught you red-handed, I would. But how could I sleep near you if I thought you were even remotely hentai? I'd be too afraid you would be groping me or something…"  
  
As she continued to talk of examples of what a pervert would do to a sleeping Mist-girl, a strong flashback re-entered his mind:  
  
::Flashback::  
  
Eyeing his sleepy friend, he tenderly stroked her shoulder, down her arm, to her fingers and back again. He didn't know why though… He frowned.   
  
"What…" He muttered quietly.  
  
He lay back down, supporting himself on his elbow, and sighed facing Misty. Her face was blank; the expression empty and cold. She laid so still, only her chest rising and falling with each light breath.   
  
'The beauty of an empty expression…' Thought Ash, 'The beauty of emptiness. The… beauty of… nothing…'  
  
The absence was so inviting…was almost hypnotizing…  
  
Shock pulsed through his body as he came to realize how far up Misty's thigh his hand had been traveling. He instantly jerked it away from her body and stuffed it into his pillow, ashamed of his thickheaded actions.  
  
'Good thing she isn't awake.' He thought, a pink blush warming his face.  
  
::End Flashback::  
  
He winced at the memory… should he tell her? Nah…  
  
On the other hand, all the while she was talking, Misty began to remember the time when she dreamt of him… not the first time… She had remembered how tingly her arm and thighs felt in her dream… mysteriously as it was… And she felt her cheeks warm at the memory of what she had fantasized about afterwards.   
  
"So groping your own girlfriend is a bad thing?" He asked, seeing her blush through the moonlight that spilled from the barred window above her hospital bed.  
  
"Um…" She stuttered, "I'm not sure anymore… I… guess not…"  
  
"Well then, shut up."  
  
"Okay… but only if you kiss me."  
  
"You must really like kissing…" He said thoughtfully.  
  
"Hm… it's really addictive…" She sat upright and kissed him, "Especially when you're the 'kissee'."  
  
He shrugged, "I could get used to it…"  
  
The lights suddenly flickered on and there was a light round of applause from behind the two. Misty would have cringed at the sudden lighting, but her eyes were already closed at the time as they kissed. She peeked over to the doorway at Brock, Duplica, Tracey, Todd, and a few nurses and a doctor or two applauded, some with tears in there eyes. (Well… it *is* a cartoon, much less anime. -_- You should expect crazy things like this to happen at some point…) And Ash held up his hands to cover the sides of their faces that were glued together so that Misty wouldn't have been disturbed by the light. Her arms hung around his neck like a wreath and soon his hands involuntarily slid down her cheeks and to the back of her neck, up through her hair and down to pull her into a gentle hug. And they sat like that for a while, bound to each other… And that's how it happened.  
  
The End. 


End file.
